A Simply Horrible Summer
by Jasper Annalise
Summary: Hermione wakes up to the perfect day. But soon, it turns out to be less than perfect.
1. Chapter 1

**A Simply Horrible Summer**

**Chapter one: Bad feelings**

Hermione woke, the soft light of morning assaulting her eyes. She looked out of the window by her bed. The day was bright and noisy, the birds of morning warbling their delight in the sunshine. It had been raining for the past week and everyone was glad to have a bit of sunshine. Hermione looked toward the road as parents left for work and early rising children stepped outside to play.

She threw open the window to let the breeze tickle her face and the sun light up the room. She could already tell it was going to be an absolutely glorious day, the way most people think before they have to step out of their bliss and into the real world. Hermione wasn't ready to step out of her room and away from the window just yet, though. She delighted herself by whistling some of the tunes the birds held, albeit badly. She only stopped when her stomach growled in protest, demanding supplement. She sighed and hesitantly stepped away from the widow, not yet wanting the day to fully begin.

She walked quietly down the steps, not wanting to disturb her parents, for neither one of them woke this early on a Sunday. As she crept into the kitchen she got the horrible sensation that something was dreadfully wrong. She pushed it to the back of her mind at the moment, too intent on getting breakfast.

As she ate her cereal, she allowed her mind to wander. It had been a fairly good summer thus far, not counting the rain. She had been able to apparate many times to the Burrow now that she was of age. Ron hadn't been as much of an arse as usual and Harry wasn't brooding about. She had been doing a lot of bookwork on Horcruxes and had found a few helpful things while Harry and Ron searched places they might be hidden.

As she finished her breakfast and placed her dish in the sink, the horrible feeling returned. This time instead of pushing it away, Hermione sat down and analyzed it. Her body must be trying to tell her something was wrong, but what? She decided to visit the Weasleys to make sure everything was okay in the wizarding world. She left a short note on the kitchen telling her parents where she had gone. She quickly left the house and disapparated.

Everything seemed fine as she walked the short distance from the apparating spot to the Weasley's house. She knocked on the door and answered the security question before she was allowed in. Mrs. Weasley was apparently the only one up this early, but Hermione didn't have to wait long before the boys showed signs of being alive. She scrutinized them both under her stare, making them both feel very uncomfortable, before she passed them off as both okay.

"What the bloody hell was that stare for, Hermione? And why are you here this early anyway?" Ron asked bluntly.

"Ronald Weasly!" Mrs. Weasly snapped. "Do not use profanities under this roof!"

"Sorry Mum. But seriously Hermione, what are you doing here?"

"I had the strangest feeling this morning," Hermione answered. "But everything seems fine over here. Oh well, I had best be getting home. My parents will be awake soon and I don't want them too worried. Goodbye!"

Hermione started for the door. Ron decided to walk her out as "Goodbye!"s came from the kitchen. He held open the door for her then stepped out into the garden. He had a look on his face that was hardly ever there, deep thinking.

"Is something wrong, Ron?" Hermione asked, startling Ron out of his daze.

"No, just thinking. Umm, Hermione, do you have a moment?" Ron said, his voice faltering slightly.

"Of course, Ronald. What exactly is it that you want?"

"Umm, I know I've been an arse in the past, and we fight a lot but, umm," Ron broke off, not quite sure how to say what was on his mind.

"Yes, you have been an arse. What are you trying to say?" Hermione said, smiling brightly at him.

"Erm, uh," Ron blushed horrendously. "IreallylikeyouHermione."

"I didn't quite catch that. Would you mind repeating it?" Hermione said, trying to hide the amusement in her voice.

"I, uh, I really like you, Hermione. And, uh, I was wondering if we could go on a date sometime?"

"Oh, Ron," Hermione blushed scarlet, not wanting to hurt him. "Ron, I, umm, I think things are to hectic right now. Maybe after the war is over or when everything's calmed down, alright?" She asked hesitantly.

The spark in Ron's eyes dulled a little, but he still looked hopeful. "Fine with me. I'll see you later, Hermione." He waved and went back into the house.

Hermione sighed. She used to like Ron that way, but then realized she was more like his mother than a girlfriend. Plus, they bickered far too often. Now her attentions were turned on the upcoming war and she didn't have time for romantic relations. She mussed over her thoughts as she walked down the road. She did tell him the truth, though. She might just give him a chance after the war.

Soon she was back in her yard and the feeling of dread welled up inside her. She stopped and stared at her house. Something was definitely wrong. She hesitantly opened the backdoor and walked inside with her wand out. It was nearly ten o' clock. Surely her parents should be up by now. She looked around her living room and kitchen for any sign of them being awake. Her bowl was still in the sink where she had left it, and Hermione knew that her mother hated leaving dishes in the sink.

The feeling intensified as she slowly made her way upstairs, not bothering to take off her shoes. She looked around her room first, and then quietly made her way down the hall. She slowly pushed open the door to her parents' bedroom. A ghastly smell wafted to her nose and she gagged. She pushed the door all the way open and almost threw up at the sight.


	2. Chapter 2

**A Simply Horrible Summer**

**Chapter two: An unlikely place**

Hermione saw her parents. And blood, so much blood. They were hanging from the ceiling fan, slowly spinning in a circle. She could hardly recognize them. She would have thought they were complete strangers if not for her mother's curly blonde hair and her father's thick mass of brown curls. Their faces were shredded by what looked like claws and chunks were bitten out of their stomachs. Hermione stood there for a moment just taking in the sight and the smell of it all. Then she couldn't take it anymore and threw up right there. She was down on her hands and knees on the bloodied carpet until nothing was left of her stomach. She dry heaved until she noticed a presence in the room. An alive presence.

She stood up and picked up her wand. Her eyes passed over the corpses of her parents and examined the rest of the room. The furniture was all tipped over. There were many places for the murderer or murderers to hide in the room. She knew she shouldn't stand in the doorway anymore. She knew she had to get Harry and Ron and alert the order. She knew this was done by Death Eaters. But she didn't move. She was too stunned by the immense gore to move.

Suddenly she saw a movement by the over turned bed. Fenrir Grayback emerged from his hiding place, face and hand dripping in blood. Still she stood, her feet frozen to the spot while her brain screamed _RUN! RUN!_ His yellow eyes turned toward her while he licked his hands and mouth. He advanced slowly, taking his time to track her down through the mess. She was wide eyed and her breath was shaking terribly. He was right in front of her now. She could smell his putrid stench. He reeked of death and blood. He smiled a horrible, blood stained smile, his sharpened teeth still dangling with bits of human flesh.

"Witches taste a lot better than muggle filth. Especially a virgin like you." Grayback's raspy voice said, pouring hot, sickly air over her with each word. She wanted to vomit again, but knew she would be unable to. "I'm supposed to take you to the Dark Lord. Lucky he wants you as bait, mudblood, or you would be in worse shape than your parents. I like to play with my food when it can fight back."

Hermione shivered. She could do nothing for herself now. If she ran he would catch her right away and possibly be mauled, but if she just stood there she would definitely be kidnapped.

"Don't even think about running, mudblood. You'll come out the worse for wear, and the Dark Lord will still have you in his clutches. Now, be a good little witch and cooperate." He grabbed her arm so painfully she gasped and dissapperated on the spot.

They forest where they turned up was gloomy and dark. Fenrir threw her from him to the ground and looked around.

"Oh goody, we're almost there," he grumbled. He tied her up with his wand and led her immobilized body through the forest. Hermione soon became dizzy with the lack of oxygen and passed out. All too soon she was awakened by Grayback.

"Wake up, wench, and look at your new home." The castle was as dark and gloomy as the surrounding forest. The mere presence off all this evil made her want to kill herself. She would undoubtedly do that anyway.

Grayback led her in through huge iron doors. He personally escorted her to the dungeon, where he picked the most uncomfortable, dank cell for her. Once she was safely locked in, the ropes receded off her body and back into Grayback's wand.

"I'm sure the Dark Lord will be down sometime in the next week to see you. If you're not on your best behavior he'll assign someone to torture you until you wish you were dead, and count on me to be the first in line." He laughed manically as he walked out of the dungeons.

Hermione still stared wide-eyed in front of her. Everything was happening way too fast. _Wasn't this supposed to be a fabulous day? Were the birds really singing just this morning? Could it really only be midday, when she'd had enough horror already to last a lifetime? Wasn't Ron confessing his love for her only this morning?_ All of these questions bounced around in her head until she couldn't think strait anymore and her eyelids had become too heavy to lift.

What must have been hours later, Hermione awoke. The dungeon was still as dim as ever, but Hermione could see the outline of a tall man walking toward her. She knew by the sudden gust of icy wind whom it was. She glared at him as he came closer, though she was sure he wouldn't be able to see her frown.

"There is no reason to look at me so coldly," her visitor said. Apparently she was wrong about his eyesight. "You are, after all, a guest in my wonderful home. I would hope that you would treat your host with respect. Apparently, mudbloods don't have very good manners. We might have to teach you a lesson." She hadn't even spoken and already there was a strike against her. Three strikes and she's out.

"I came down to ask you a few questions." He conjured a chair with his wand and sat down. "I believe you know where to find Harry Potter?" She stared at him blankly, trying to shut down her mind to him. "You are supposed to answer a question when it is given to you." Strike two. "I only need to know how to get to him. I believe there is a secret password at the Weasley house?" Her eyes widened. "Ah, now I just need to know what your particular password is. You can tell me now, or we can torture it out of you. Either way I'm sure I'll get what I want." He looked sharply at her. "Will you give me what I want, Hermione Granger?"

"Never," her voice croaked out, wishing she could reach him so she could kill him with her bare hands.

"Now you will force me to do something I won't regret at all. You will need to be taught a lesson in obeying your elders. I will be sure to schedule something extra special just for you. Don't get too comfy in there, your surprise will be coming soon." And with those nasty words, Voldemort left the dungeon chambers.


	3. Chapter 3

**A Simply Horrible Summer**

**Chapter three:**

Hermione lied in her dark cell, trying to not doze off so she wouldn't be taken by surprise. A million scenarios played in her mind, each more daring and foolish than the last. When someone came she could take his wand, she could knock him over, she could run if he tried to carry her, she could kill whoever tried to touch her; the list went on and on.

Finally, Hermione succumbed to sleep when she was sure no one was coming for her that night. She wasn't able to sleep for very long, though, before she heard someone walking toward her cell. The figure stopped in front of the bars. Hermione could almost feel the sneer that was surely playing on the Death Eaters lips. She stared at him wide eyed, trying to discern the face so she could tell who it was.

The man opened the door to the cell and stepped inside. Hermione quickly stood up, not wanting to be in a bad position, and stood her ground. The man advanced nearer but still Hermione stood, not moving, not wanting him to see her fear.

"What a pity you're a stupid little mudblood," the man said. "You could have been quite pretty otherwise."

"I wouldn't want to be a cowardly pureblood groveling in front of a man that has less pure blood than I would, anyway," Hermione said to the man. His hand suddenly came out of nowhere and hit her in the side of the face. Hermione gasped at the contact, her cheek starting to throb.

"Do not talk about my lord with such a filthy mouth. It will only serve to make your punishment that much more unbearable." The man sneered again. "Which is exactly what I came down here for." He then grabbed her arms and started dragging her away from the dungeons. Hermione kicked and screamed, trying to throw the man off of her, but to no avail. He was much stronger than she was and she hadn't eaten all day.

The chamber to which the man had led her was horrible. Many devices for torture glittered on the walls and the whole room smelt of blood. Hermione grimaced the moment she stepped in, hoping to block out the smell a little by wrinkling her nose.

The man dragged her to the middle of the chamber where chains were hanging from the ceiling. He quickly cuffed her to the chains and let her go. Hermione fell to her knees when her legs wouldn't support her.

"Look at the little mudblood now. Not so high and mighty, are we? Not when I could kill you right here and now." Hermione looked up at the man as he talked and finally recognized who he was when she caught a glimpse of silvery-blonde hair. It was none other than Lucius Malfoy.

"Recognize me, do you? I can see the fear in your eyes. You know I am no ordinary Death Eater. I could make your life more of a living hell than it already is." With those words he laughed, but it wasn't a laugh that meant you could enjoy anything. It was a laugh that would send cold shivers down the back of almost anyone, a laugh that would make children cry and send the elderly into an instant death. Hermione didn't like the sound of the laugh at all, for it didn't bode well for you when your torturer was laughing like a mad man. Lucius stopped laughing, but there was still a maniacal glint in his eyes.

"What method should I use first?" he asked out loud as he slowly walked around her. "Oh, I know. I'll start out with a simple _Crucio!_" Hermione shrieked as the spell hit her, making her writhe on the ground in pain. Tears came into her eyes as she thought her vocal cords would explode. Again she saw her parents, hanging from the fan in their bedroom. She cried out louder, unable to take the pain much longer, and then, it stopped.

Hermione lie on the cold stone, thankful to whatever gods had stopped the curse. She panted, trying to regain her breath as she opened her eyes to look at Lucius. He stood above her, smirking at her obvious pain.

"Are you ready to talk yet? Are you ready to divulge the information we need so you won't have to go through that again?" Lucius asked, bending down so his face was right next to hers.

"Never," Hermione croaked, her voice sore and gruff from all the screaming.

"Very well," Lucius said. "There are certainly many more painful ways to get what we want." He walked over to the wall and examined a steel-edged whip. "This should do nicely," he murmured as he took the whip off the wall. He pointed his wand at the chains so they were short enough to keep her in a kneeling position. He then pointed his wand at her shirt, which disappeared.

"We wouldn't want anything to damage this lovely shirt now would we?" He cackled again. Hermione shivered from the cold and the sound of his voice. Lucius walked behind her with the whip in his hand.

"I assure you, this is going to hurt you a lot more than it's going to her me," he said, and he swung the whip.

Hermione screamed as the steel lashed across her back, deeply cutting open the smooth skin. Hot liquid trickled down, staining the tops of her jeans red. Lucius stood there, enjoying hearing her whimper as the cut stung and throbbed.

"If you don't tell me the password now, there will be much more where that came from." Lucius laughed again, chilling her bones.

"I refuse to tell you. I would rather die than give you any information." Hermione could tell she was getting on Lucius's nerves. He angrily said, "Fine!" and lashed her again. The whip swung at her back so many times that soon she didn't know if he was still hitting her because it had gone numb. Every few lashes he would pause and ask her the same question, and every time she gave him the same answer. It was apparent that this means of torture would not work, so Lucius stopped.

"It looks like this isn't working. Oh well, I will simply have to find a different way of making you talk." He walked over to a large case. "Perhaps this will persuade those lips of yours into speech," and he dragged the case in front of her. Hermione looked at it quizzically. Surely something extremely dangerous wouldn't be kept in an open room like this. But Hermione didn't realize that sometimes the most dangerous things were the ones we over look the most.


	4. Chapter 4

**A Simply Horrible Summer**

**Chapter four: Dreams and Reality**

The case at Hermione's feet started to shake, as though the object inside was excited. Lucius backed quickly away and pointed his wand at the box.

"You shall now see what it truly means to fear," he said, a malicious grin spreading on his pale face. He flicked his wand and muttered, "_Alohamora"_, his eyes never leaving Hermione's face.

The lid to the crate sprung open, but nothing happened, at first. Hermione watched the opening carefully, knowing that something was going to emerge from the darkness. Suddenly two dark figures rose from the box, both ignoring Hermione. She looked closer at them. She couldn't see the face of one of the people, but the other turned slightly and she saw his green eyes and lightning bolt scar.

"Harry," she breathed, startled. _Why did he come out of the case?_ she wondered. Then she turned her eyes to the other, slightly taller figure. This time she caught a glimpse of the red hair and freckles that were a trademark of the Weasleys. "Ron?" she said this time, more confused than ever.

Suddenly there was a loud pop and both boys were on the ground, hands bound behind their backs and both bleeding from the head. Hermione gasped, "No!" and tried to shut her eyes, but they wouldn't close. A third, faceless figure rose out of the box and turned toward the two boys. She heard the man say, "_Avada Kadavra," _ and both boys ceased their struggling. Hermione shouted, "NO!" tears streaming down her dirty face. The man laughed the high, merciless laugh that Hermione associated with Voldemort.

Hermione fell to her knees, her tears leaving streaks down her face and wetting her breasts. "No," she repeated, for this meant that Voldemort would have won after all. Then Hermione realized that this couldn't be real. Harry and Ron were both at the Burrow, the very place that Hermione was needed to divulge the secret of. Her tears stopped flowing and she rose once again to her feet.

"You will need more than a silly Bogart to force me to talk, idiot," Hermione said plainly to Lucius. She saw his grin drop and his face became angry.

"How dare you speak to me that way, you filthy little mudblood," he said as he ran toward her and grabbed her neck. "How dare you even _think_ of talking to a pureblooded male like that! You should be killed for even thinking such words!" Hermione's breaths became shallower as Lucius's hands tightened. Her head began to spin as her brain lost oxygen. Then he let go. Hermione lie on the ground, regaining her breath and forcing herself not to faint.

"I will have something special planned for you tomorrow, mudblood, so get enough rest tonight." The evil glint had come back into his eyes. Hermione didn't like the look of it at all.

Back in her cell, Hermione tried to find a softer patch of cold, hard stone to sleep on, but to no avail. She sighed, lying on the floor looking at the ceiling. She immediately regretted lying on her back for the whip wounds were still fresh and bleeding a little. She rolled over onto her stomach and rested her head on her arms. That day had been difficult. First that bad feeling, then Ron's confession, her parents' mutilated bodies, being dragged off by a monster, being tortured to within an inch of her life, and last a promise for worse beatings tomorrow. _Nothing else could possibly happen this day_, she thought as her eyes closed. _Nothing._

Hermione dreamt that night. She thought that she would be too tired to dream at all, but dream she did. At first, flashes of her parents were all that ailed her troubled mind, but soon the visions that played in her head became much worse.

_The day was sunny and warm. A stripped blanket was laid in the middle of a beautiful field full of pastel-colored flowers and soft grass. A picnic was laid on the blanket with all of Hermione's friends sitting around it. Butterflies danced in the radiant sun, enjoying the warmth from it and the sweet nectar of the flowers. _

_Many of Hermione's friends' heads turned toward her. They beckoned her to come nearer to them, expressing without words that they wished she would enjoy the day with them. Hermione started slowly towards them, not feeling in any hurry and basking in the sun while walking. She sighed delightedly, surly there couldn't be a more perfect afternoon. _

_Hermione raised her face to the sun, knowing that many freckles would pop up on her cheeks and nose soon but not caring. The soft breeze teased her bushy hair and cooled her brow. She slowly turned in a soft circle, wanting her whole body to relish in the warmth. She knew she should probably get to her friends now._

_She lowered her face and turned toward the picnic area, but no one was there anymore. Confused, Hermione continued to walk forward. _Maybe they're waiting to scare me,_ she thought. She continued forward until she was almost on the blanket. _Where could they possibly be hiding?_ she wondered as she turned a circle. _Surly they wouldn't be able to hide in the trees surrounding this meadow so quickly. Maybe they've charmed themselves invisible.

_Hermione decided that the trick was up and shouted, "I know you're out there somewhere. If you don't come out right now I'm going to come and find you!" Hermione turned in a circle, looking for anyone that might appear from thin air. But no one came out. Hermione, frustrated, started feeling around the blanket, but still she heard no sound of movement or whispers. _

_Then, she heard a twig snap on the edge of the surrounding forest. She turned toward the sound but still saw no one. She ran toward the trees, glad to have possibly found someone. She was only halfway there when a man stepped out of the bushes. At first she didn't recognize him and thought it was one of the Order members that she didn't know yet. Then his face became clear and she stopped running. _

_McNair the executioner was standing there in almost full Death Eater garb, only the mask was missing. Hermione was petrified by the sight. Why would a Death Eater be in her dream? Many more snaps of twigs and crunching of leaves were heard all around the edge of the field. Death Eaters were emerging from the trees, most with their masks on, ruining the sanctuary of the field. The sky grew cloudy, blocking out the sun completely until there was no more warmth to be felt, and the wind picked up, chilling Hermione and sending goose-bumps up her arms. _

_The butterflies and flowers had all disappeared, leaving the field bare and muddy. The picnic had also disappeared, making the field even barer than before. Hermione ran back to the center, searching for a way out. Her efforts were useless, though, as she was surrounded by Death Eaters on all sides. _

_The Death Eaters advanced toward her all at the same time. There seemed to be no weak spot in the whole circle. They closed in, raising their wands. Hermione frantically searched for her own wand, her only defense against people like them, but couldn't find it. She turned in a circle, looking at all of the Death Eaters individually. She knew it was useless._

_All of the Death Eaters started to form the same spell on his or her lips. Hermione closed her eyes as, in slow motion, they all shouted, "Crucio!" and the green light came toward her. She knew she would never survive so many curses being aimed at her. Her death wouldn't be painless as so many other deaths by wand were. She felt the curses come nearer. The green burnt through her eye lids and her eyes watered at the light. Just as the curses started to touch her body, she screamed…_

…and woke up.


	5. Chapter 5

**A Simply Horrible Summer**

**Chapter Five: Blood and Potions**

**(warning: contains scenes of a sexual nature.)**

Hermione's body was covered in a cold sweat. She panted as she went over her dream in her mind, wondering what it could possibly mean. _Probably nothing at all,_ she thought._ Just a nightmare; yeah, definitely a nightmare._ She could still feel the curses licking her body, burning, finding their way into her very soul. She shivered as cold air passed over her.

She sat up and stretched. Sleeping on a cold, hard floor did nothing for her back. She stood and walked over to the bars of her cell. Hermione looked to the right but there was no one there. She glanced to her left and saw her guard sleeping in a plush armchair, head down and snoring deeply. She was surprised he hadn't woken from her scream.

She looked straight across into the other cell and saw a small whole near the top of the wall. She could see the sky outside becoming rosy with the dawn. She smiled, it was nice to be able to see the sky.

She remembered Lucius's parting words. He would have something horrible planned for her this night. She shivered again. Why did all this have to happen to her? It wasn't as though she was anyone special. _Yes you are,_ a voice said in her head. _You're one of Harry Potter's best friends. Of course you're someone special._ Hermione sighed. The voice was right, she was someone special. Of course it would be her who was captured.

She wondered what Harry and Ron were doing right now. Did they already know she had disappeared? Or were her parents' bodies still rotting in their room? It saddened her to think of these things, so she pushed the thoughts from her mind.

She was very weak with the lack of food. She was sure that if they brought her any she wouldn't eat it, incase it had a truth potion in it. She slid down to a sitting position, still looking through the window. It had become quite light outside by now. That was when it hit her. She would never be outside these walls again, never feel the glorious sun on her face, the cool breeze rippling her hair. Tears streamed down her already streaked face. She was sure she would die in here, either by the death eaters' hands or her own, because she knew she would never give up her secret.

The guard that had previously been sleeping walked over to make sure she was still there. He saw her crying and smirked, as if he knew what was bothering her. He said, "Aw, is the little mudblood sad? Does she know she'll never be free of this place?" He laughed a merciless laugh. She looked up into his face. McNair. Of course it would be Buckbeak's would-be-killer who was watching her. She glared at him, but that only made him laugh more.

Hermione wasn't fed any breakfast, not that she would have eaten it. She lie there on her back for the whole morning, knowing she should probably sleep more but fearing the dreams that would come. She found the most comfortable position she could be in with her back still being torn up and didn't move an inch until she noticed someone was standing in front of the bars.

She slowly propped herself up. The Death Eater beckoned her forward and bound her hands. He seemed fairly young, but she couldn't see his face and he didn't speak a word to her. He opened the cell and motioned for her to follow him. She did so, grateful to be walking around. She looked around her as they walked. The castle didn't seem nearly as scary in the daytime.

The boy suddenly stopped and opened a door on the left side of the hall. Hermione was starting to get frightened now. He motioned her into the room and undid her bindings. She turned around to look at him but the door was already closed and she heard it lock. She turned back around and looked at the room. It was fairly spacious and had a table in the center.

She sat down in one of the chairs at the table, still looking around. Immediately the chair bound her to it, long chains springing out of nowhere. She struggled against the bonds, but to no avail. There was no way she was getting out of this one.

A Death Eater entered from the door she had just come through. She tried to turn and see him, but the chains grew tighter and she stopped trying. The man came to stand on the other side of the table from her. She looked across at him, but didn't recognize him. She suspected there were many more Death Eaters than the Order thought, for she already didn't know two of the ones she saw today.

"Looks as though our little pet has been caught, doesn't it?" he said, chuckling at the predicament she was in. She glared at him, narrowing her eyes into slits. She vaguely wondered what was going to happen to her now.

"Well, no point in you being uncomfortable," the man said, and he raised his wand and the chains disappeared. She looked warily at him. He laughed again, raising his wand asz he did so. Hermione flinched, she thought he was going to point it at her, waiting for the pain, but it didn't come. Instead a delightful smell wafted toward her nose. She opened her eyes again.

There was a feast laid out in front of her. Her mouth watered at the sight and smell of it all. She started to reach for a roll, but caught herself and put her hand back in her lap. She knew it had potion in it. Among all of the food smells she caught a whiff of a rudimentary truth potion. She suspected it was Truth of the Darkness, much quicker and easier to make than veritaserum.

The Death Eater chuckled again. "To smart for that, are you, mudblood? No matter, we will pry the password out of you somehow."

Hermione was thrown back into her cell. Her stomach growled. She knew she had done the right thing in not eating, but she knew she needed nourishment for tonight when something very bad would happen.

She looked through the small hole in the opposite wall. The sun had started to set, but was still above the treetops. She had spent quite a long time in the food room with that Death Eater trying to persuade her to eat. Her punishment for today would probably come right after the sun fully set. She lay back on the floor, being careful to not jostle her back. She had around an hour and a half before that happened. She closed her eyes and fell into a meditation-like sleep.

She woke to a rough kick to the side. She gasped and grabbed the right side of her stomach. Above her stood the dark form of Lucius Malfoy. He grabbed her wrists and once again dragged her down the dungeon hallway and up the stairs. She struggled against his strength, but she was even weaker than yesterday.

This time he led her to a different room. He roughly shoved her in the room and she fell gasping to the floor. Lucius shut and locked the door behind him as she sat back up. This room was very different from the one yesterday. For one, it didn't have torture objects glittering on the walls. In fact, it didn't have much of anything. All that was in this small room were a chair, desk, and bed. She stared at the bed in horror. Her mind finally figured out her punishment.

Lucius laughed at her obvious horror. His teeth glinted in the small light from the single candle in the room. Hermione scooted backwards until she felt the wall. She stood up and stared at Lucius. Certainly he wouldn't taint himself with something as 'impure' as her. He was a pureblood after all, and she was like the scum under his shoes.

Lucius advanced toward Hermione. She pressed herself to the wall as much as she could manage; not noticing the pain it brought her. He came forward until he was almost touching her. Her eyes were wide and staring in horror.

"This is the only thing mudbloods are useful for. Well, this and torturing," Lucius said as he stroked her cheek. She couldn't move. "You see, girl, they are already so impure that this doesn't matter at all." He pressed his body into hers forcefully, successfully pinning her to the wall. She shivered, even more unable to move now that she was losing the feeling to her legs.

Hermione finally found her strength and moved her arms. She punched Lucius straight in the face. His head was thrown back with the force and he stumbled backwards, releasing Hermione as he did so. She darted around him and toward the door. She grabbed the door knob and desperately tried to twist it.

"No," she muttered. "Let me out, please let me out." She heard Lucius regain his balance behind her. She turned around again, staring at him. Her only means of escape had proved to be useless. Lucius glared at her and quickly came forward. She darted back around him and to another wall.

"Don't touch me," she said, but Lucius came toward her again and she was trapped. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" Lucius once again pinned her to the wall with his body, grabbing her wrists in one hand and holding her there. She struggled and squirmed beneath him, but to no avail. Tears streamed down her face. Lucius grinned through the blood coming from his nose.

"Oh, I'm going to have loads of fun with you, mudblood," he said. He pushed away from the wall, still holding Hermione's wrists. She stumbled forward and, before she could regain her balance, was thrown toward the bed. She fell on top of it face first and let out a sob. She was powerless against him and they both knew it. She turned onto her back and found the Lucius was right behind her. She tried to back farther onto the bed but he grabbed her shirt. She jerked away from him and it ripped her shirt in half. She hissed at the pain as it scraped against her back but still scuttled backward. Lucius grabbed her ankle and pulled her back to him. She shrieked and grabbed the edge of the bed. He pulled harder and her fingers slipped

He climbed on top of her and straddled her hips. She could see how excited this made him, the sick bastard. Her arms were once again pinned above her by one of his hands. Her legs kicked and she screamed but it didn't faze him at all. He reached down with his other hand and tore the front of her bra, exposing her breasts to him. He pinched her nipple hard and she cried out. He lowered his mouth to her breast and her bit her so hard it drew blood. She screamed louder than she would have thought possible.

He raised his face to look at her. "If you tell me the password now I promise I'll stop." She knew she couldn't trust his words and shook her head. Nothing they did would pry her secret from her.

He shrugged and raised his wand. Ropes tied her wrists to the head board. She started to panic even more and she twisted under Lucius. He laughed maniacally; this was always his favorite part with his victims. He waved his wand and her pants and underwear disappeared, leaving her bare. She screamed and screamed for him to get off her, but he took no heed of her words.

He unzipped his pants slowly. She watched him, fear clearly written across her face. She had stopped screaming; knowing that it didn't help at all, that it only excited him more. He had fully unzipped and his large erection was apparent. Hermione was terrified as she saw how big he was. He would never fit into her opening without drastically hurting her. He grinned and positioned himself above her.

"Are you sure you won't tell me your little secret?" he asked her once more. She stared at him with fear, not saying a word. "Very well," he said, and plunged quickly and deeply into her.

It was agony. She screamed as she felt as though her uterus would tear. Blood gushed from her opening, more blood than there should have been. She desperately wanted to faint, to not feel this anymore, to die, but life was being cruel to her lately. Her body grasped onto consciousness as Lucius plunged again and again into her, bringing new screams of pain from her lungs.

It felt like hours before Lucius came. His semen spilled out of her opening, making her feel even dirtier. He fell on top of her after his climax, irritating her back again. Hermione cried silently at the throbbing of her uterus. She was no longer a virgin now. She had been hoping to escape this place one way or another with her virtue still intact. She should have realized it would have been impossible.


	6. Chapter 6

**A Simply Horrible Summer**

**Chapter Six: A Freedom Long Awaited**

Hermione lied, dirty and desolate, inside her cell. Her whole body ached from the pounding she had just received. She hadn't eaten for a few days and that made everything feel ten times worse. She lied on her stomach and closed her eyes, trying to get a little sleep so she could regenerate before the next days' beatings.

Over the next few days, Hermione continued to refuse to eat and talk. She hadn't used her voice since the night Lucius raped her, and was sure if she tried now no one would be able to understand her.

Her days had become routine by now. Every morning, the same boy would come to get her, lead her to a room filled with food, and lock her in. She would sit on a hard chair for a couple hours while the smell taunted her and the same Death Eater would try to get her to eat. Then she would be led back to her cell until nightfall. After the sun fell, she would be dragged from the dungeon to either be beaten or raped by some Death Eater she had probably never met. Afterwards, she would be thrown back into her cell and she would cry to herself and try to get to sleep.

By now she had resigned herself to this schedule. She rarely cried out in pain anymore, only if a Death Eater hit a spot that hadn't already been beaten. After the third day, there were no such spots. Her whole body had become numb and unresponsive. If the Death Eaters still wanted to fuck her after that; well, they were more desperate than she had thought.

Hermione's absence didn't go unnoticed by the two boys or the Order. Over the next couple of weeks, they all searched tirelessly for her, but to no avail. Voldemort's castle was too well hidden, just as Grimauld Place was.

Every time someone from their side felt like he was getting close, it would turn out to be a dead end. They were all getting frustrated as their efforts turned up as null. Even Mrs. Weasley was getting thin and gaunt looking as Hermione still didn't show. Harry, who was already thin enough, had to force down food every night to keep up his strength incase Voldemort attacked.

The Ministry had become involved six days after Hermione's disappearance. They had found her parents' bodies and informed the Order. After that, everyone increased efforts ten-fold, all wondering what state Hermione would be in when they found her.

All of a sudden, Death Eater attacks stopped, ten days after Hermione's abduction. The Ministry was befuddled with this sudden change of events, but the Order knew what was happening. Harry's scar hurt worse every day and they knew Voldemort was coming in for the kill.

Hermione was once again pulled by her hair down a corridor. She didn't even whimper as a few strands were yanked from her scalp. This had all happened before, a few times in fact.

As Hermione was unceremoniously dragged down the hallway, she began to think about home again. Was there even such a place for her anymore? Her parents were dead and she wasn't even sure if her friends were looking for her, or if they even knew she was gone.

She had been counting the days since she got here, but lost track after the fourth time she was raped. It didn't matter what day it was anymore, they all felt exactly the same: painfully numb. The last time she noticed it had been a Sunday, seven days after she was brought here. A full week of torture for her poor body and spirit.

She came out of her thoughts as a door slammed open and she was dragged inside. There was a bed in the room, which meant another night of rape for her. She sighed and resigned herself to the inevitable. He had a wand and she did not. That was all she needed to know.

She was thrown once again onto a bed. This time the Death Eater didn't even bother to tie her up, just trusted that she wouldn't go anywhere. Even if she did try to move, he would catch her in a second, as weak as her body was. And then the night of rape would be laced with the Cruciatus curse.

As the Death Eater vanished her clothes and started his 'work' on her body, a flash of silver metal caught her eye. A long, beautiful knife was lying on the bedside table. The Death Eater was too engrossed in what he was doing to notice anything about her. She inched her arm toward the edge of the bed and then onto the table. _Just a little bit farther,_ Hermione urged herself. _Almost there; he doesn't suspect a thing. Come on now, grab it. It's your only salvation from this._

Her hand trembled as her fingers closed around the knife's handle; so much that the knife clinked on the wood. The Death Eater looked up, surprised at the sound. Hermione froze, hoping that he hadn't seen the knife in her hand, but he did. He started to say, "What the…," but Hermione thrust the blade into his chest, close enough to the heart to be fatal. The Death Eater continued to stare at her as she slide the knife out. His blood spilled from the wound, drenching her body in the warm liquid. She quickly scrambled away from him as red soaked the sheets. His eyes went blank and cloudy as death took him.

Hermione stood up, almost appalled at what she had done. Still naked, she crept over to the door, the knife reading in her hand. She rattled the handle but it was locked. She looked back toward the Death Eater. She would have to retrieve to wand from his pocket.

She walked slowly back to the corpse. The blood was already drying in the sheets, making then stiff. She rolled him over, disgusted at touching the filthy man. The wand was lying in his pocket opposite from her, too far to reach without touching him. She leaned over, trying her hardest to not brush against the man. She shuddered when her hand accidentally touched his exposed genitals, but she finally got the wand.

She opened the door with a quick Alohamora and dashed out into the cold hallway. The air brushed against her bare skin, causing goose pimple to rise on her arms and legs. It wasn't until then that it dawned on her: she would never be able to make it out of here. There were at least forty Death Eaters in residence, all armed with wands. She was one, weak person against all of them. She might be able to take down one or two, but she would be captured again, and she wouldn't be able to handle any more torture that the Death Eaters would give her.

Still, she decided to walk down the hallway. There were a few Death Eaters ahead, she could hear them, so she turned around and walked to opposite way. There were people over there, too. She cursed under her breath. Didn't they have anything better to do tonight? She slowly backed up from the hum of voices ahead and ran into a table that was conveniently placed in her way. A vase on it fell and shattered on the floor.

The voices stopped, and loud whispers took its place. Then she heard foot steps coming near her on both sides. Hermione started to panic as shadows of five men on each side came toward her. As the first Death Eaters arrived in her sight, she really began to freak out. They all looked at her curiously, astonished at the sight of her naked form in the middle of the hallway. Then they began to shout spells.

A disarming spell hit her and the wand flew out of her hand, but she managed to keep a grip on the knife. It was her last hope and began to look very tempting in her fingers. Everything seemed to stop as she made up her mind. She refused to be captured again. They could have her body, it seemed they had already taken it, but they wouldn't have her soul.

She plunged the knife into her heart as spells continued to shoot past her. She fell to the floor and wrenched the blade out of her body, letting her life force drain more freely from her chest. She smiled as her vision of the floor was taken over by red. She then lie on her back and felt first the numbness, then the pain leave her. She felt as though she were flying.

Pops of Appirition filled her ears. Voices that she had known for years began shouting curses at the Death Eaters. More pops sounded, and then cheers. Someone shouted, "The war is finally over!" and soon, all of the people surrounding him took up the call. Then someone else shouted, "Hermione!" and she turned her head toward him. It was Ron, ever faithful Ron, that reached her side first. She looked up at him, now a frown on her face as she whispered, "I'm sorry." Blood dribbled from her mouth and her eyes went blank. The war was over, but Hermione died before she got her freedom.


End file.
